Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco are among the
high-calibre Mexican artists who contributed to the impressive
murals within the city's grand Palace of Fine Arts. A mash-up of
art deco, art nouveau and neo-classical, the building was
originally scheduled to open in time for Mexico's centenary
celebration of independence in 1910, but instead wasn't completed
until 1934. The artistic hub of the city, its innovative design
(its interiors are made of Carrara marble) and magnificent grandeur
makes it a tourist hotspot.

Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City

Northeast of Mexico City is the holy city of Teotihuacan.
Built between the 1st and 7th centuries A.D., the Pyramid of the
Sun (pictured) is the site's largest structure. Abercrombie
& Kent offers small group tours through the heart of
the Mesoamerican spectacle, their Mexico's Day of the Dead Festival
journey showcasing the cultural wonders of Mexico City and
Oaxaca.

Teotihuacan

One of Mexico's most stunning examples of Baroque architecture,
construction began on the church during the 1550s by the Dominican
order. The interior is as impressive as its facade, with intricate
3D gilt designs and gold ceiling detailing.

Convento de Santo Domingo, Oaxaca

The colourful town of Oaxaca is alive with bustling markets and
full-flavoured cuisine. Every year the town's locals take to the
streets to celebrate Día de Muertos, honouring the dead
with late-night vigils and elaborate costumes. The spooky fiesta
continues into the early hours of the morning and includes
traditional foods and floral tributes.

Oaxaca City

To celebrate Day of the Dead, locals prepare specialty foods,
including pan de muerto sweet bread. In Oaxaca the sweet
bread is served all year round, however throughout the festival,
decorative toppings are added to celebrate lost loved ones.

Oaxaca’s market villages

Swipe here to skip

With patterns reflecting the local history of the area, woven
rugs are made in Oaxaca's Teotitlán del Valle and Santa Ana
Del Valle. The lengthy process involves artisans dying their yarn
with natural dye before weaving rugs on pedal looms.

Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca

Situated 44km outside of downtown Oaxaca, Mitla is one of the
most important sites in Zapotec culture. Designed with unique stone
mosaics, the ruins date back to the pre-Columbian era when it was
the region's religious epicentre. High priests would carry out
human sacrifices to open the 'gateway' to the underworld.

Mitla

Oaxaca is home to more than 2000 tequila distilleries and
is a must-see when travelling the country's south.
Piñas of the Maguey plant are roasted inside a conical
pit over charcoal for 3-5 days, converting starch to fructose.
Piñas absorb the flavours of the smoke and are mashed and fermented
to produce mezcal.